THIRTY-NINE (OR MORE) FAVORITE FILMS (AND NOT) OF 2014

LATE 2013 RELEASES THAT I ONLY SAW THIS YEAR BUT ARE REALLY QUITE SOMETHING:
THE PAST
THE GREAT BEAUTY

BEST BACKDROP BUT MOST UNIMAGINATIVE SELF-NEGATING RESOLUTION:
MALEFICENT/GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY/THE DROP

BEST PREMISE BUT MOST UNIMAGINATIVE SELF-NEGATING RESOLUTION:
LUCY

FILM ATTEMPTING TO BE AN ACTION FILM WITH A BRAIN WHICH WRECKS ITSELF WITH 40 MINUTES TOO MUCH OF UNFOLLOWABLE SCENES OF INSANE DESTRUCTION:
CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER

FILM THAT BROKE MY HEART BY BEING SO BORING I LEFT HALFWAY THROUGH DESPITE BEING DIRECTED BY CLINT EASTWOOD:
JERSEY BOYS (Though it’s not as bad as LEFT BEHIND)

FILM I’M NERVOUS ABOUT BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE A REIFICATION OF THE MYTH OF REDEMPTIVE VIOLENCE DESPITE BEING DIRECTED BY CLINT EASTWOOD:
AMERICAN SNIPER

FILMS I HAVEN’T SEEN YET BECAUSE THE HOBBIT/THE HUNGER GAMES HAVE COLONIZED TWO THIRDS OF THE LOCAL SCREENS SO IT SOMETIMES TAKES FOREVER FOR DECENT STUFF TO GET TO WHERE I LIVE OR THE DECENT STUFF HAS TO LEAVE EARLY TO MAKE ROOM FOR MORE HOBBITS:
INHERENT VICE
TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHT
SELMA
THE IMITATION GAME
WILD
TOP FIVE
MR TURNER
ROSEWATER

BIGGEST GENUINE WASTE OF TIME AND TALENT:
JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT

SADDEST LESS THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS COULDA BEEN A CONTENDER BUT SOMETHING INEFFABLE WENT WRONG:
MONUMENTS MEN/TRANSCENDENCE/THE JUDGE/THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING/EXODUS: GODS AND KINGS

SURPRISINGLY OK:
ROBOCOP

FUN AND SWEET BUT NOT SURE WHAT ALL THE FUSS WAS ABOUT:
CHEF

SURPRISINGLY PRETTY GREAT:
GODZILLA

MOST EXCITING RE-RELEASE:
SORCERER (seen at the magnificent and marvelously slightly ruined Cinefamily, with sound that was almost threatening)

FILM THAT I LOVED WHEN I SAW IT ON A SCREENER BUT REALLY NEED TO WATCH IN A CINEMA TO BE SURE:
A MOST VIOLENT YEAR